Quoting Daemian Spayde <Daemian_spayde at sbcglobal.net>: > Don't get me wrong. I'm agreeing with what everyone else is saying about how > it looks nothing like Sethra, but I, for one, think that was the point. > Remember that in Draegera some people call these 'Historical Fiction', which > means that Paarfi may have a tendancy to imbelish a bit. > I completely agree in spirit, and I think this is an insightful theory. Unfortunately I think you give the book cover designers too much credit and project too much intelligence upon them. I honestly think, from my very limited knowledge of the industry, that the cover designers know and care very little about what they're potraying. With very few notable exceptions, like Keith Parkinson's cover designs, most contract artists are given a general idea from the publisher of what the book's about and then they come up with something (usually without ever having read the book,) and the publisher approves the sketches if it's, as you mentioned, eye-catching. Even Keith Parkinson who usually does work for authors he knows and appreciates, has been forced to change his sketches and ideas of the appearance based on the wants of the people signing his checks. Remember the original paperback cover for "Taltos" with the curley blonde hair? Anyone who actually read the book would have read a very different description of Vlad. Liam --- "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin, 1759 "When making your choice in life, do not neglect to live." - Samuel Johnson